Subject: POLITICO Playbook, presented by the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): TICK-TOCK on the GOP's health-care 'flop' -- HOW TRUMP can turn it around -- PRO-TRUMP group pulls ads -- FAHRENTHOLD strikes again -- SPOTTED last night in ASPEN -- B'DAY: Ashley Hickey Marquis
From: "Anna Palmer Jake Sherman Daniel Lippman" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2017 05:07:50 -0600
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Today's POLITICO Playbook presented by the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD) 
    
06/28/2017 07:02 AM EDT
        
By JAKE SHERMAN ([email-masked]; @JakeSherman), ANNA PALMER ([email-masked]; @apalmerdc) and DANIEL LIPPMAN ([email-masked]; @dlippman)
        
Listen to the Playbook Audio Briefing | Subscribe on iTunes | Visit the online home of Playbook
                  Driving the Day         
BULLETIN -- WJLA: "Officials: Amtrak train hits, kills 2 CSX employees on tracks in D.C., service suspended": "Amtrak has suspended all service between Philadelphia and D.C. because of the incident. The D.C. Fire Department say they were called to the 1200 block of New York Avenue at around 11:55 p.m. and found the two victims. They were pronounced dead at the scene." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395c47b2ce11e1f9070e13bf9bce8f39613d3428a9427f5049cf6b88e8044b1fa9a568d63959ac72603179c7a81cbbab89c 

Good Wednesday morning. THE QUOTE REPUBLICANS IN D.C. ARE TALKING ABOUT -- DONALD TRUMP at the top of a meeting with Republican senators about health care Tuesday afternoon: "This will be great if we get it done. And if we don't get it done, it's just going to be something that we're not going to like. And that's OK, and I understand that very well."

A MAJORITY, BUT FOR WHAT? -- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONALD TRUMP AT HIS STRONGEST. He became president in an election that shocked the political system. YET most of his legislative goals remain far off. Tax reform remains undone. They have not repealed or replaced Obamacare. Passing an infrastructure bill remains just a goal. They have not funded a massive border wall. Congress hasn't passed a budget and is squirming to strike a deal to lay out a fiscal blueprint. One White House insider pointed to Neil Gorsuch's confirmation as Trump's principal legislative achievement.

MESSAGE TO 1600 -- HOW YOU CAN TURN IT AROUND (per several of the top GOP operators in and out of government) -- Stop setting artificial legislative deadlines. You spend a lot of time on media critiquing. Use some of that time to talk about the substance of the legislation you want to pass -- and sell it. Yes, your base loves the media bashing, and it's fun television for some. But now you have to pass bills. That's what governing is. And your base for that task is Washington insiders, who need to feel pressure -- or fear. The president clearly likes rallies -- cool, who doesn't? Hold a series of themed rallies to make the public case for what you want to do. At least try to have the
 president stick to the script. Convince Republican leadership on the Hill to pass some small-ball legislation you can sign -- use Rahm Emanuel's "Six for 06" as a model. 

THE POLITICO TICK TOCK -- HOW HEALTH CARE FELL APART -- BURGESS EVERETT, JEN HABERKORN and JOSH DAWSEY: "Inside the GOP's health care flop": "Senate Republicans had no inkling of what they were walking into on Tuesday afternoon as they filed into the Mike Mansfield room on the Capitol's second floor. Mitch McConnell's 51 colleagues, from his most junior members to his closest lieutenants, fully expected the Senate to vote this week on the Senate GOP's wounded Obamacare repeal bill. They knew the whip count was far worse than advertised, but were ready for McConnell to either admit defeat or make a furious round of deal-making to try to win their support. 

"They took McConnell at his word that a vote would occur, regardless of the result. Then the Kentucky Republican shocked them all as he dispassionately informed them at the top of the meeting that the vote would be delayed, and that he would continue the painful exercise of trying to get 50 of the caucus's 52 votes for Obamacare repeal. Never mind that McConnell and his team had previously made clear that they did not believe letting the bill hang out over the July 4 recess would improve the result of the perilous negotiations. 'It's different from what he said ... yesterday afternoon as late as 5:30 p.m.,' said a Republican senator. ...

"'Tinkering isn't going to work, from my perspective. There would have to be a major overhaul of the bill ... to win my support,' [Maine Sen. Susan] Collins said. ... 'The truth is, we're not even close. This is not, like, a couple of tweaks,' the aide said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395db0e2c4a25f51d7ab71952d138e4483536657cf605f6d98a92cb3c400111ff09d78eb051015a8c32c7f41351def5e50e

-- A NOTE: Collins seems pretty dug in. As does Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.). The margin here is super slim.

GREAT DETAILS - per NYT's Glenn Thrush and Jonathan Martin: "When asked by reporters clustered on the blacktop outside the West Wing if Mr. Trump had command of the details of the negotiations, Mr. McConnell ignored the question and smiled blandly. ... A senator who supports the bill left the meeting at the White House with a sense that the president did not have a grasp of some basic elements of the Senate plan - and seemed especially confused when a moderate Republican complained that opponents of the bill would cast it as a massive tax break for the wealthy, according to an aide who received a detailed readout of the exchange. Mr. Trump said he planned to tackle tax reform later,
 ignoring the repeal's tax implications, the staff member added." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673952c1152cc449020eefdc3c9eab0b5639de0a608ebdebbc9f175e88017277be51113870a1548f6f089f616a1b241ff7683

--"How Governors From Both Parties Plotted to Derail the Senate Health Bill," by NYT's Alex Burns: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe6739563fca013234e1d39bb692c216d03650b6f755203af7ff2d2a3ed03560e6906ce65c79cd37d819dcf8ca5d6b90cf9abb4

-- "How Schumer kept Dems united on Obamacare: The Senate Democratic leader worked closely with senators and activist groups to keep pressure on the GOP -- and won at least a temporary victory as the repeal bill stalled," by Seung Min Kim and Elana Schor. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395d52689b2dd6b88656c40be67feacb08566bfc634e2609dd1b8067eb4557225d7aef1fb2c0ad00f6f289568b9b26331a4 

A CHEAT SHEET FOR MCCONNELL AND W.H. LEG AFFAIRS -- "5 changes McConnell can make to get repeal bill on track," by Adam Cancryn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395ad5b408708550e281fed23fb5b5041bcfbe8dea5869cf0d1864ddeb214f77dd6c734f2e4762a45d7f334fd9b6cedbe01

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL, one of the steadiest and most reliable leaders and vote counters Washington has seen, did the unthinkable and rattled his ranks. The Kentucky Republican had told lawmakers there would be a vote this week on health care, but instead -- just as Speaker Paul Ryan was forced to do three months ago -- decided to delay voting on the package after it was clear that GOP opposition to the health care package was stronger than expected. 

MCCONNELL has been impervious to the types of problems Ryan faces on a weekly -- and sometimes daily -- basis. His decision to delay voting on a bill is a sign he couldn't, or didn't want to expend the political capital to get it done before the July 4th break. It's unclear what he can do to change the calculus among the growing bloc of senators unwilling to vote for the bill. 

THE BIG PROBLEM -- "Poll: Fewer than 4-in-10 voters back GOP health bill," by Steven Shepard: "Just 38 percent of voters approve of the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll conducted before Senate leaders pulled the latest version of their bill in an effort to win over more GOP votes. That's fewer than the 45 percent who disapprove of the Republican health care bill. Another 17 percent say they don't know or have no opinion of the bill." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395a5007858605bdc11d3c7af59c8e523291caba243ea39f566b435d642826dfd3759d1f5c57c6e975462cd170d0cf64d91

DAN BALZ'S TAKE -- "'Repeal and replace' was once a unifier for the GOP. Now it's an albatross."  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673958ddd5ba854b969c12470d13e1cfa66fc3ae5c127447fdbc307509dc5180c0c0d79d547c1d065f2b7c0ae1061b6234b61 

REPUBLICANS V. TRUMP -- "Senate GOP seethes at Trump impulsiveness," by Alex Isenstadt and Josh Dawsey: "Top GOP officials and senators say White House chaos and impulsiveness are crippling efforts to expand the Republican Senate majority in 2018, unraveling long-laid plans and needlessly jeopardizing incumbents. There's a widespread sense of exasperation with the president, interviews with nearly two dozen senior Republicans reveal, and deep frustration with an administration they believe doesn't fully grasp what it will take to preserve the narrow majority or add to it.

"The most recent flash point involves Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, who was attacked by a White House-sanctioned outside group after announcing his opposition to the now stalled Obamacare repeal bill. Heller, the most endangered GOP incumbent up for reelection in 2018, was initially targeted with a surprise $1 million digital, TV, and radio assault - an act of political retaliation that stunned both senators and other top GOP officials." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe6739593e4d9be6b3e8e073801f7fa599737855a0796d1dc72258bbd777b948e2e9ddef4e2a33bb873e74a2d6a407087c35e94

... BUT -- "Pro-Trump group pulls ads criticizing Heller over Obamacare," by Alex Isenstadt: "A pro-Trump outside group will pull its ads assailing GOP Sen. Dean Heller over his opposition to the now stalled Obamacare repeal bill -- a move that follows massive backlash from senior Republicans who called on the organization to stop attacking the Nevadan. America First Policies had begun airing TV and radio ads on Tuesday savaging Heller for his planned 'No' vote, with spots charging that Heller had broken his 'promise' to voters that he would dismantle Obamacare -- a stunning attack on a member of the president's own party and the most vulnerable Republican up for re-election in 2018.

"But on Tuesday evening -- just a few hours after the TV and radio ads went up and after Senate Republicans tossed plans to vote on the legislation this week -- the group, which is staffed with several of the president's top campaign aides, decided to stop running the ads, two senior Republicans familiar with the decision told POLITICO." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395d582ec61940f22673f18f1226d993a74b6925cab59c85992b75389f995617ac40cfa47ef172f740433e089fa9d99d8cb

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): A new study found that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) reduced spending in Medicare Part D by 58 percent in 2014, driving down costs for the government, taxpayers, and beneficiaries. The study forecasts that PBMs will save $1,800 per Medicare beneficiary, per year over the next ten years. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

PHIL RUCKER, BOB COSTA and ASHLEY PARKER: "Who's afraid of Trump? Not enough Republicans -- at least for now": "'This president is the first president in our history who has neither political nor military experience, and thus it has been a challenge to him to learn how to interact with Congress and learn how to push his agenda better,' said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who opposes the current health-care bill. ...

"Trump's lieutenants ... have struggled to force Republicans into line. In March, when House Republicans were slow to rally behind the health-care bill, White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon told Freedom Caucus members that they must stop waffling and vote for the legislation. Bannon was immediately rebuffed by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), who has been in the House for more than three decades. Barton icily told Bannon that the only person who ordered him around was 'my daddy' - and that his father was unsuccessful in doing so, according to several Republicans with knowledge of the meeting.

"In an interview Tuesday, Barton smiled wryly when asked about the incident. 'I will admit on the record that I took exception to a comment that he made,' Barton said. 'There is a separation of powers, and the president has a role and the Congress has a role. That's all I'll say.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe6739536276eef214bd51c1c8faa12e9d7f6928828f68ffc2fe61d18bdcbfe56e19d854af951a6c22451fb8a41769cd92ab1dc 

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT TO BE POOLER! -- "Macron Invites Trump to Paris for Bastille Day," by NYT's Aurelien Breeden in Paris: "They have had their differences, but when President Emmanuel Macron of France and President Trump spoke by telephone on Tuesday about the threat of a new chemical weapons attack by Syria, Mr. Macron seized the opportunity and invited Mr. Trump to Paris for Bastille Day.

"It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Trump would accept the invitation, which was also extended to his wife, Melania, according to a statement from the Elys&eacute;e Palace. But the traditional military parade in Paris on this Bastille Day, July 14, will also commemorate the 100th anniversary of America's entry into World War I to fight alongside the French, British and other Allies." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395b09d9b738eb3ba1b224657123c674cdfd8bd1a01b1cb7eb1c44e820dc0726301b09872d3195c5abd00788f1ddbae4241 

FOR YOUR RADAR -- "New cyberattack wallops Europe; spreads more slowly in U.S.," by AP's Raphael Satter in Paris and Frank Bajak in Houston: "A new and highly virulent outbreak of data-scrambling software -- apparently sown in Ukraine -- caused disruption across the world Tuesday. Following a similar attack in May, the fresh cyber-assault paralyzed some hospitals, government offices and major multinational corporations in a dramatic demonstration of how easily malicious programs can bring daily life to a halt. Ukraine and Russia appeared hardest hit by the new strain of ransomware - malicious software that locks up computer files with all-but-unbreakable encryption and then demands a ransom
 for its release. 

"In the United States, the malware affected companies such as the drugmaker Merck and Mondelez International, the owner of food brands such as Oreo and Nabisco. Its pace appeared to slow as the day wore on, in part because the malware appeared to require direct contact between computer networks, a factor that may have limited its spread in regions with fewer connections to Ukraine." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395ffdc952e0e19f36ebdacc89a10921125df60756e2e0093d5c6b6bbf277cf2e2306322e319a0c8bd75d1e8e2be4df8419

-- REUTERS' PHIL STEWART and IDREES ALI: "Exclusive: Trump administration eyes hardening line toward Pakistan": "President Donald Trump's administration is exploring hardening its approach toward Pakistan to crack down on Pakistan-based militants launching attacks in neighboring Afghanistan, two U.S. officials tell Reuters. Potential Trump administration responses being discussed include expanding U.S. drone strikes, redirecting or withholding some aid to Pakistan and perhaps eventually downgrading Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally, the two officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395ff9c23eab82417f79d628ff2f5c976d3faf197cffe09aa2096645ea0ce28368b0985ce3b82913eae71090a0508950f89 

WHAT PAUL MANAFORT WAS UP TO -- "Manafort registers as foreign agent," by Theo Meyer: "The firm headed by Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, made more than $17 million working as a foreign agent of a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party, according to newly filed disclosure reports. Trump forced Manafort to step down from his campaign last year after The Associated Press reported that Manafort and another Trump campaign official, Rick Gates, had secretly helped the Ukrainian Party of Regions steer money to two Washington lobbying firms through a nonprofit." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673951f94fe72aa3f9ed303be901227ca005f0e1a37bdf63814cd3ba78f0833039c202441db3edaca898a578a8fd67718a2f9

TRUMP INC. -- "Trump attorney Jay Sekulow's family has been paid millions from charities they control," by WaPo's Aaron Davis and Shawn Boburg: "President Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow was on his weekday radio show this month, defending the president vociferously, when he took a pause to highlight a charity that has brought Sekulow and his family millions of dollars. 'Let me take off the hat of the president's lawyer and put on the ACLJ hat,' he said, using the acronym for the American Center for Law and Justice. His June 16 program then cut to a plea for donations from audience members listening on 850 stations nationwide. 'Now, more than ever,' a narrator said, 'you need the ACLJ
 on your side.' ...

"[The ACLJ brought in] $230 million in charitable donations from 2011 to 2015 -- and millions of those dollars ended up going to the members of the Sekulow family or their companies, a Washington Post analysis of IRS tax filings and business records in five states and the District found.

"Through a complex arrangement involving ACLJ and another charity, $5.5 million was paid directly to Sekulow and five family members in salary or other compensation, tax records covering those years show. Another $7.5 million went to businesses owned by Sekulow and his sister-in-law for producing and consulting on TV, movie and radio shows, including his weekday program, 'Jay Sekulow Live!' And $21 million went to a small law firm co-owned by Sekulow, records show." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395ed99c78d5507713c01674cc27523d18fd95498cffd48faee9dbc6dfef1f1637170705394b7cccc4209ee91a7665064e1

WHAT NANCY PELOSI IS READING -- "Poll: Dems not ready to dump Pelosi," by Steven Shepard: "Washington Democrats are pointing fingers after last week's special election defeat in Georgia, but the party's voters aren't ready to jettison House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll.

"While Pelosi (D-Calif.) remains among the most unpopular figures in American politics, few Democratic voters in the survey blame her for Democrat Jon Ossoff's defeat last week or for Democratic losses in 2010, 2014 and 2016. Overall, 43 percent of voters think Pelosi should be replaced as Democratic leader, compared with only 26 percent who think she should remain in the post. Three in 10 voters say they don't know or don't have an opinion.

"But among Democratic voters, just over a quarter, 27 percent, want Pelosi booted as the party's leader in the chamber. That's fewer than the 41 percent who want Pelosi to stay, and the 31 percent who don't have an opinion." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673959166ddefe87a3877f924674295166d9caba2999382490219587161b51533a5fcaaffb3ba3db03f704c672563bcb13f19

HOT IN GOP LEADERSHIP -- "L.A.'s newest congressman still hasn't taken his oath. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy wants to know why," by Sarah D. Wire in the L.A. Times: "House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) wants to know why Rep.-elect Jimmy Gomez hasn't been sworn in, saying the seat's 'elongated vacancy' is 'an abdication' of his responsibilities.

"Twenty one days have passed since Gomez won a special election to replace now-California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, who resigned Los Angeles' 34th Congressional District last January. Gomez, a current Democratic state assemblyman, told The Times after the election he would try to delay his Assembly resignation to vote on extending the state's cap-and-trade program, which requires companies to buy permits to release greenhouse gas. Negotiations on cap and trade are escalating in Sacramento, and there are rumblings Gov. Jerry Brown would like to be able to count on Gomez' vote to pass the bill with a two-thirds majority before the Legislature leaves on July 21." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395359d2456f0e16d226ddcdf4a7e373b340ed691d664b5a9a67a9f60b03944e206bde6d6fb9b3d9ac3dbef5314a6f13ca3 

VIDEO DU JOUR -- @CaitrionaPerry: "Video of the bizarre moment when President @realDonaldTrump called me over during his call with Taoiseach @campaignforLeo Varadkar. @rtenews" - 25-second video http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395f907a4f37453b78c57123e590ef05202cca6e40f665f2df06c3159f07438f41c23c6049664af2bf56d3c432cbdde7943

TRUMP'S WEDNESDAY -- TRUMP "will lead a tribal, State, and local energy roundtable," and then will host the Chicago Cubs at the White House. Trump will meet with "immigration crime victims to urge passage of House legislation to save American lives." In the evening, he'll attend the RNC dinner at the Trump International Hotel.

THE JUICE ... 

-- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: WENDY SHERMAN, the under secretary of State for political affairs in the Obama administration, is joining NBC News and MSNBC as a "global affairs contributor." "[S]he will speak about diplomacy and international relations, as well as share her expertise on North Korea."

          Playbook Reads         
TRUMP INC. -- "Making Ivanka Trump shoes: Long hours, low pay and abuse," by AP's Erika Kinetz in Ganzhou, China: "A worker with blood dripping from his head marked a low point in the tense, grinding life at a southeastern China factory used by Ivanka Trump and other fashion brands. An angry manager had hit him with the sharp end of a high-heeled shoe. Workers from the factory, including one current and two former employees who spoke to The Associated Press, reported overtime that stretched past midnight, steep production quotas and crude verbal abuse at Ganzhou Huajian International Shoe City Co. They said beatings were not unheard of, but the shoe attack, which all three say they
 witnessed last year, was violent enough to stand out." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395b33cfc3a12b0e53db73dd4d6994190beefe191d7d6ec8d1c5a24dbad25251aa49326a5e28fe4bf2962644d932a5d893c 

L.A. TIMES -- "Border wall prototypes could start going up in San Diego this summer, U.S. official says," by Joseph Tanfani: "The Trump administration is at least two months away from starting construction of prototypes for a wall along the Southwest border, underscoring the difficulties the White House faces making good on one of the president's key campaign promises.

"Customs and Border Protection still has not signed any contracts to build prototypes of new barriers, a first step in plans to design and erect a wall along the 2,000-mile Mexico border, Ronald Vitiello, acting deputy commissioner at the agency, told reporters Tuesday. He said construction of four to eight prototypes could begin by late summer. All will be built near the San Diego-area border fence. 'We're evaluating proposals now.' he said. 'We think it's summer. It's kind of hard to nail down.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673956100781b25cc0b43630655feeb547aa97adf5e0784db39d19d279e18e249f6929d08e5520a451deac834332394fcd72d 

2018 WATCH -- "Midterms loom over Mueller's Russia probe: Comey's handling of Clinton email investigation poses challenge for special counsel working amid 2018 campaign," by Darren Samuelsohn: "Special counsel Robert Mueller has only just begun investigating whether President Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Russia in last year's election and whether Trump himself obstructed justice, but there are already fears that he'll face pressure to reveal his conclusions before the 2018 midterms. While it's unclear how long it will take Mueller to wrap up his investigation, veterans of past White House scandals say that with the midterms already being framed as a referendum on Trump's
 presidency, both Republicans and Democrats can be expected to push Mueller to go public with whatever he has before voters go to the polls." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395f427e52a2024528cfb56578545ef0480c4858aff3cb1506f91ab3483184cf6a814207a87cb80ae92a2bbd800410c94f3

DEPT. OF BIG STATEMENTS -- "Fed's Yellen expects no new financial crisis in 'our lifetimes,'" by Reuters: "U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Tuesday that she does not believe that there will be another financial crisis for at least as long as she lives, thanks largely to reforms of the banking system since the 2007-09 crash. 'Would I say there will never, ever be another financial crisis?' Yellen said at a question-and-answer event in London. 'You know probably that would be going too far but I do think we're much safer and I hope that it will not be in our lifetimes and I don't believe it will be,' she said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395c84bfdd0f0a2cb10d535ce48634fe145fb7c90dd76194fc99c6ed6d8600032b7263938589ac8db4406308b09e7c42a9e

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): A new study projects pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) will save Medicare Part D $896 billion over ten years. PBMs drive savings for taxpayers and seniors by negotiating discounts from drug manufacturers; by encouraging the use of lower cost, clinically equivalent drugs; and by providing clinical programs that improve health outcomes. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

AMBASSADOR WATCH -- "Delays stack up for Trump in filling ambassador posts," by Nancy Cook and Nahal Toosi: "President Donald Trump said before he took office that he planned to choose New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, a campaign supporter and old friend, as his ambassador to Britain. But it took until this week for the White House to formally submit Johnson's nomination to the Senate. So far, Trump has nominated 20 ambassadors, with six confirmed, including the ambassador to the United Nations, according to the American Foreign Service Association. By this point in their first terms, President Barack Obama had nominated 40 ambassadors with three confirmed excluding the UN ambassador,
 while President George W. Bush had nominated 27, with three confirmed, according to statistics compiled by the non-partisan Partnership for Public Service. 

"The Trump administration is taking 77 days on average to confirm ambassadors to countries, while Obama nominees 26 days and Bush's 11, according to the Partnership for Public Service. The slow pace of selecting key American representatives abroad is hurting the U.S. diplomatically, as foreign leaders try to suss out the administration's worldview and their place within it, according to interviews with more than a dozen foreign policy experts, current and former ambassadors, and sources familiar with the hiring process." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395715330c5af1ec9fc7a9398c76b4cecf4835c93dda2e2e83d08f66a4eae21bb9858dc2929f3ce26c490ab30a71d193818

MEDIAWATCH -- "Sinclair VP donated to Gianforte after 'body-slam' incident," by Hadas Gold: "The vice president and director of Sinclair Broadcasting Group, which has often been criticized for its conservative slant, donated to Rep. Greg Gianforte's campaign the day after the Montana Republican was charged with assaulting a reporter. The donation of $1,000 by Frederick G. Smith, a member of the family that owns the company, came on May 25, the day Gianforte was elected ... Smith also gave $1,000 to Gianforte's campaign in March. On May 24, Gianforte assaulted Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs as Jacobs attempted to ask Gianforte a question about the healthcare bill, breaking Jacobs' glasses and
 sending him to the hospital for X-rays." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395a07b6c48d37746d82d493bc084ca97ce40eebd0a98bcdedeebbd97c6fc364326ffb88e60ea636b275f84f7f31564506c 

DAVID FAHRENTHOLD STRIKES AGAIN -- "A Time magazine with Trump on the cover hangs in his golf clubs. It's fake": "The framed copy of Time magazine was hung up in at least five of President Trump's clubs, from South Florida to Scotland. Filling the entire cover was a photo of Donald Trump. 'Donald Trump: The "Apprentice" is a television smash!' the big headline said. Above the Time nameplate, there was another headline in all caps: 'TRUMP IS HITTING ON ALL FRONTS ... EVEN TV!' This cover [is] dated March 1, 2009. ... The Time cover is a fake. There was no March 1, 2009, issue of Time magazine. And there was no issue at all in 2009 that had Trump on the cover." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395cdd90e90920e94e0d0a444134c1b15e6b33ac24f12a9efdd07eef89ba1ef51be19e965b89bc471ac510f631824341045 

-- "The Washington Post's New Social Media Policy Forbids Disparaging Advertisers," by Washingtonian's Andrew Beaujon: "A new social-media policy at the Washington Post prohibits conduct on social media that 'adversely affects The Post's customers, advertisers, subscribers, vendors, suppliers or partners.' In such cases, Post management reserves the right to take disciplinary action 'up to and including termination of employment.' The Post's Guild sent out a bulletin Sunday night protesting the policy. ... [T]he policy ... went into effect on May 1 and applies to the entire company." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395def8f428e612e9a610667300ce2f709e18074c4bb7428638e14ca2f7e9b32f9f9d21a24e8208192b50137c487a2bb921 

                  Playbookers         
SPOTTED: Eliot Spitzer last night at Off the Record at the Hay Adams ... former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean in a private room at Carmine's with LaToia Jones and several others ... Ivanka and Jared at Kinship yesterday ... Gary Cohn having dinner last night with friends at Le Diplomate ... Scott Pruitt was also spotted there at another table ... Steve Wynn smoking a cigar yesterday upon arriving Trump International Hotel DC - he's in town for tonight's RNC fundraiser with President Trump and First Lady Melania on Wednesday at the hotel (the fundraiser costs $35K per person and $100K to host) ... Oil baron Harold Hamm dining last night at Trump Hotel's BLT Prime ... 

... Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) dining with a group on the Trattoria Alberto patio Tuesday night. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (R-Wis.) was also spotted leaving the restaurant separately. Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) popped in for dinner later. ... Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) chatting on her cell phone on 8th Street near Banana Cafe around 8 p.m. ... Jonathan Capehart and Nick Schmit dining with Chris Jansing last night at Kinship 

-- @MattLaslo: "Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger is at tonight's Cubs/Nationals game and has had his back to the field the entire time at a table in outfield" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673953d2f930917280d8668bd21e78fdd5d5b5f9435a59ff04ed04135dc1b6838ef73083cc88c0690c4d19ff6f3538ee3548d 

OUT AND ABOUT IN ASPEN - The Paul E. Singer Foundation held a dinner last night focused on driverless cars at Laura and Gary Lauder's home in Aspen (pic of the house:  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673952eafddcb61ce061d720242583181e8b63a00a0b2cb198f1861d72fac28b9d76fc2e0d807382b805d50b3e5eb0aa3d90d In a panel discussion before the meal, Amnon Shashua, co-founder and CTO of Israeli technology company Mobileye (which Intel bought for $15 billion), talked about the future of driverless cars and predicted that in 2021, you would see them available for purchase. Moderator David Leonhardt reminded the crowd that there are around 1000 deaths every nine days due to car accidents. Shashua said companies have to ensure that the technology advances far enough that there are under 100
 deaths each year from self-driving cars. He said the public would not allow "1,000 people to die" every year because of the new technology. He also said that four months ago, Uber was a big player in self-driving cars but now "it's uncertain" because of Travis Kalanick's departure. "It's like firing Steve Jobs from Apple," he said. Another word of wisdom from him: "Companies that don't master AI in won't be around in 10 to 15 years."

SPOTTED: Haim Saban chatting with Andrea Mitchell and Richard Haass, Cheryl Saban, Karen Davidson, Paul Singer, Terry Kassel, Amnon Shashua, Dan Senor, Campbell Brown, Walter Isaacson, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Katie Couric and John Molner, Ory Rinat, Bonnie Lautenberg and Steve Leber, Mitch Julis, Amb. John Loeb, Blain Rethmeier, former U.S. Amb. to Canada Bruce Heyman, Eugene Kandel, Derek Thompson, Dafna Linzer, Susan Mercandetti, Bob and Susan Oberndorf, Max Neuberger, Eliot Gerson, David Zalaznick, Henry Elkus.

-- SPOTTED at a Facebook reception last night at the Marble Garden Tent on the Aspen Institute grounds: Campbell Brown, Samidh Chakrabarti, Walter Isaacson, Kitty Boone, Richard Haass, Jon Lovett, Manoush Zomorodi, Kevin Delaney, Anil Dash, Anne Kornblut, Dafna Linzer, Steve Clemons, Carl Zimmer, Simon Sinek, Garrett Graff, Lee Rainie, Charles "Lil Buck" Riley, Blain Rethmeier, Erika Masonhall, Erin Miller, Max Neuberger, Jonathan Taplin, Doug Farrar, Graham Veysey.

--SPOTTED at the nearby Southern Company reception last night: Fareed Zakaria chatting with Steve Clemons, Ory Rinat chatting with Kyle Dropp and Amy Walter, Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning, Blain Rethmeier chatting with Gloria Dittus and Emily Lenzner, Eric Kuhn.

ENGAGED - Hayley Andrews, director of government affairs at the Charles Group and travel blogger at Navigate Abroad (http://bit.ly/2tjP2ff), got engaged yesterday to Eugene Gelfgat, a lieutenant in the Army. He proposed inside the Grand Canyon after they flew in on a helicopter. They met as GW students on a Birthright Israel trip to Israel in 2010. Pics http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673957106967d4e925e5871f06737d298bdb76ce366879c183ccc3bcedf8808e28099f48fb46c5b8903d49febad465f578c11 ... http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673955b2dbf61d3830d814ff2f230f162b684b1d7d224bd8f1cf62bab89ca4d6c40af37b765f0151bccb68978b525fee1892a ... The ring http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe67395b5f0e787c54693d6ccef00b91ccb307e0fef81ab27db61eea81896535b773347fd328c3580888bda2105a81c805713a1 

TRANSITIONS -- PR firm Strategic Elements has hired Diane Miller as senior adviser. Last year Miller founded the virtual think-tank Women's Influence Institute ... Red Alert Politics has hired Lauren Cooley as contributors' editor.

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Jane Harman, director, president and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. How she got her start in politics: "Attended the 1960 convention as a high school kid and was totally inspired by John Kennedy." Read her Playbook Plus Q&A: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9887fc58ffe673953ad59784b36ef3fbe16db08e624ae92b7a9cd8a3153ef4fe4c993419db888a813e15b338fcf0506dcaed8a405e8d75a7 

BIRTHDAYS: Marc Kasowitz is 65 ... Ashley Hickey Marquis, chief of staff to NEC director Gary Cohn, who celebrated with a weekend BBQ and tonight at Mirabelle with her husband Garrett (hubby tip: Garrett) ... NYT's David Kirkpatrick is 47 ... former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is 79 ... former Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) is 83 ... Laura D'Andrea Tyson, professor at Berkeley's Haas business school ... Ziad "Z" Ojakli, Ford Group VP of gov't and community relations (h/t Christin Baker) ... Bill Greener, founding partner of Greener & Hook LLC ... AP's Jesse Holland ... Climatewire's Scott Waldman ... former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) is 59 ... former Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) is 54
 ... former Rep. Jim Kolbe (D-Ariz.) is 74 ... journalist and author Kurt Eichenwald is 56 ... Stephanie Benedict, who has been crisscrossing the country for the Clinton campaign ... IJR's Erin McPike (h/t Alex Skatell) ... Nancy Payne, VP of PeaceTech Lab, former OPIC and FleishmanHillard International (h/t Ben Chang and Jon Haber) ... Carolyn Coda of Swiss Re (hubby tip: Rich Ward) ... Steve Johnson, EVP of American Airlines and an avid Playbooker (h/ts Hilary Rosen and Shannon Gilson) ...

... Stephanie Benedict, alum of Waxman, HFA, and Albright Stonebridge, celebrating with family in San Luis Obispo, CA (h/t mom Paula Benedict) ... Lara Kline (h/t Jon Haber) ... Brian L. Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast is 58 (h/t Jewish Insider) ... Mike Lurie, senior creative advisor at Freedom Partners, is 3-0 (h/t his loving girlfriend Rebecca Coffman) ... B. Scott Tilley, general counsel at Stihl Inc. and former Capitol Hill intern (h/t Bruce Potter) ... John Lee is 24 ... Peter Nonis of the Business Council for International Understanding ... Rob Tappan, president of the Tappan Group ... Coddy Johnson is 41 ... Pelosi policy adviser Kenneth DeGraff ... Jason Roe is 47 ... Brian
 Jodice ... Paul Bonicelli ... Yaffa Fredrick, CNN Opinion producer ... Megan Bloomgren, VP of comms at API and former acting comms director at Interior earlier this year ... Daisy Capps ... Matt Mele ... Al Eisele ... Aaron Banks ... Bob Russell ... Quinn McCord ... Kevin Kaiser ... Jing Ulrich, managing director and vice chairman, Asia Pacific at JPMorgan Chase ... Sean Bartel ... AP Florida reporter Brendan Farrington ... Cecilie Olaussen ... Nick Anton ... Dusky Terry ... Brenda Vilmain ... Meagan Mahaffey ... Chuck Shuford ... Dave Olsen ... Eli Reyes ... Christina Martin ... John Elway is 57 ... Eric Zwiener ... GPG's Jas Sajjan ... comedian-movie director Mel Brooks is 91 ... Kathy
 Bates is 69 ... John Cusack is 51 (h/ts AP)

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): A new study estimates that Medicare Part D costs would be 58 percent higher without pharmacy benefit managers' (PBMs') clinical tools and price negotiations with drug manufacturers and pharmacies. The study shows PBMs significantly lower premiums and out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries. In fact, PBMs are projected to save Medicare Part D $896 billion over the next decade. Thanks to PBMs, Medicare Part D continues to drive savings and value for taxpayers and beneficiaries, ensuring that more than 39 million American seniors can access the prescription drugs they need. Learn more at
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